Final Fantasy: A New Beginning
by SorrowfulAyame
Summary: I loved the Final Fantasy Movie. I loved the plot, the characters, the romance, and yes, even the villain. But i absolutely hated the ending. So I decided to improve on it. This takes place immedately after the Phantoms are defeated. New York, Deep Eyes,
1. Gaia's Gift

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
This is my very first Final Fantasy Fanfiction! I've always enjoyed playing the games, my favorite being FF8, only because unlike 7, it had a happy ending, and the CGI characters were amazing. I haven't played FF10 because as of yet I do not own a PS2. I'm working on it though, and that will be the first game I buy.  
  
Anyhow, as I said, FF8 is my favorite out of the games so far. However, this is not a FF8 fanfic. Instead it is based on the movie that was created, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.  
  
I loved the story, the characters, and yes, evil the villain. But I hated the ending. It was so unfair. And although I have a strict policy when I write not to change a story, it took everything I had not to do so in this story. I like to add on to what happens, even if I have to go off on what I like to call, the what-if tangent.  
  
An example being the DBZ fics in which I keep the same story line in some cases, but just add on to the story. For example, The Return of Mirai Trunks. In the final saga, "Back To the Future" everyone in Mirai's time has been restored to life thanks to the Blackstar dragonballs. And in it, I have Gohan return to learn that he had a daughter he had never known about because he had died the day after he and Videl had slept together right before his battle with the Andriods. Who's to say he didn't have a girlfriend? If could have happened.  
  
But this is not about DBZ, it's about Final Fantasy. The story takes place right after the battle with the Phantoms in the crater. The Gaia has been saved, but Dr. Sid and Aki are the only ones still alive. But all that's about to change when Gaia returns those that shouldn't have been taken so early, including Gray and the other Deep Eyes members.  
  
I sincerely hope you enjoy it and as of yet I can't be sure if it will be a one-parter or multichapter story. Only time will tell. And one last thing, I do not own the characters of Final Fantasy, none what-so-ever from ANY of the games or the movie. I am thinking of cloning Neil and Gray though. Moving on..enjoy the story.  
  
And one last thing, is it just me, or does Gray look like a CGI Ben Affleck?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Final Fantasy: A New Beginning Gaia's Gift  
  
"Aki! My word, child are you alright?" Dr. Sid cried as the platform finally reached the top of the cliff. Aki sadly looked up into the face of her mentor.  
  
"Gray did it. He saved the Earth. He saved me." Aki said as Dr. Sid bent down and lifted Gray's body up off the platform. Aki rose to her feet slowly as Dr. Sid turned to look at her in concern, but Aki shook her head at him.  
  
"I'm fine. Let's go home." Aki said. Dr. Sid nodded and the two silently entered the 'Black Boa'.  
  
Dr. Sid set Gray's body down on the medical counter, and hesitated over his body for a moment, a sad look in his eyes, before leaving the room. The automatic doors closed behind him and he turned to walk back down the hallway to the cockpit.  
  
"Aki? I know it's pointless to ask at this point, but are you going to be alright child?" Dr. Sid asked. Aki bit her lip as she paused, then nodded. Dr. Sid looked at her questioningly until she turned to look at him and nodded again, a little more confidently.  
  
"He loved me. He told me so. At least I know that much." Aki said sadly.  
  
"The eighth spirit, did you tell him?" Dr. Sid asked. Aki turned her head away sadly, giving Dr. Sid the answer he needed.  
  
"I see. But you know death isn't the end, Aki. Remember that. You proved the Gaia theory correct, and that means they've returned to the Earth's spirit." Dr. Sid said.  
  
"I know.I just..I miss him so much. It hurts so much Dr..I don't know if I'll be able to live with the pain." Aki said.  
  
"I can imagine your suffering Aki. Try to be strong, if not for yourself, then for your child." Dr. Sid said. After a moment, Aki nodded.  
  
"It's all I have left of him." Aki said.  
  
"Come. We have to get in touch with the Council. We must tell them of our success here." Dr. Sid said.  
  
"If it could even be called that." Aki said sadly.  
  
  
  
A blue-green human-like figure floated across the destruction of New York. The spirit of Gaia, The Goddess surveyed everything around her, sadly sweeping her gaze across the thousands of lifeless bodies scattered across the streets.  
  
She shook her head, knowing what was right, and swept along the city. As she did, a blue sheet swept along behind her and absorbed into the bodies of the dead as it passed over them, until all of the city had been covered.  
  
The Goddess turned around her, her blue-green gown sweeping behind her. She smiled, and then nodded again, before fading away. The rest of the population was too long gone to restore, but at least the inhabitants of this city wouldn't join her just yet. It wasn't their time. And there was one last stop to make before going back to her resting place to wait for the others when their time was finally at hand.  
  
  
  
Jane suddenly opened her eyes, and bolted upright in a sitting position. She blinked in astonishment as she looked around her surroundings.  
  
"What the hell?!" Jane cried. Last thing she remembered was watching Neil being killed by the phantom, then letting herself join him. And a blue wonderful place.Dr. Ross's Gaia maybe? Suddenly she remembered Neil and jumped to her feet.  
  
"Damn it Neil! You bastard! You son of a-" Jane began angrily, before trailing off as Neil slowly opened his eyes, sat up, then looked up at her.  
  
"Nice to see you too, sweetheart." Neil said. Jane glared at him even as she gave him a hand and pulled him to his feet.  
  
"Listen you little bastard! Don't ever do that to me again!" Jane cried angrily as Neil smirked at her.  
  
"Whatever you say, cupcake." Neil said as Jane rolled her eyes.  
  
"Come on, let's fine Ryan already." Jane said, starting to walk away.  
  
"He's probably still around the car somewhere." Neil said as he followed her.  
  
"Or still connected to it." Jane said as she and Neil raced up to their comrade who'd also just awoken and was trying to remove the car piece from his stomach again.  
  
"Neil?! Jane?! Wanna tell me what the hell happened?" Ryan asked.  
  
"Which part? Dying? Gaia? Or coming back?" Neil asked sarcastically. Jane punched his shoulder as she glared at him.  
  
"Just shut up and help me with this." Jane ordered.  
  
"You know, abuse isn't the way to a man's heart." Neil retorted.  
  
"It's no good. We're gonna have to call Dr. Sid and Dr. Ross." Ryan said with a grunt.  
  
"On it." Neil said, turning on the com link still connected to his ear.  
  
"Dr. Sid? Dr. Ross? You're not gonna believe this..but we're gonna need you down here." Neil said.  
  
  
  
Aki looked at Dr. Sid in astonishment.  
  
"Did..you just hear that?" Aki asked as Dr. Sid nodded.  
  
"Yes, I did. Who is this? Where are you? How did you get this channel?" Dr. Sid asked. There was a chuckle on the other line.  
  
"Whatever happened to 'hi, how are ya?'" Neil asked.  
  
"Fine. Hello. How are you? Who the hell are you?!" Aki asked.  
  
"Testy, testy. It's a long story doc, but.uh..it's Neil." Neil said. There was silence for a few moments.  
  
"Who the hell are you and what the *hell* do you want?!" Aki cried furiously.  
  
"Calm down Dr. Ross. He's still annoying as hell but it's really him." Jane said, taking the com link from Neil.  
  
"Jane? It.can't be.." Aki said in disbelief.  
  
"I know, I know. Surprised the hell outta me too doctor. We're all here, me, Ryan, the peanut gallery..." Jane said.  
  
"It's Jane alright. But how the hell..?!" Aki cried.  
  
"No idea. We'll figure it out later. Right now we need you back here. We gotta get Ryan outta the car. He's still attached to it. And afterwards I think I'll see if I can get Neil's license revoked." Jane said as Neil frowned at her.  
  
"Hey! You know what they say..any landing you can walk away from." Neil began as Jane and Ryan glared at him.  
  
"Um.never mind..sorry Sergeant." Neil muttered.  
  
  
  
The Goddess Gaia appeared inside the medical room of the Black Boa, and smiled as her eyes fell on Gray's body. The being that sacrificed himself willingly to save her. It would only be right to restore him immediately. She swept her hand over his body, from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. She watched as the layer of blue sunk into his body, and his face filled with color. With one last smile, she departed for the last time, to finally rest.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	2. The Eighth Spirit & The Reunion of Deep ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
This is my very first Final Fantasy Fanfiction! I've always enjoyed playing the games, my favorite being FF8, only because unlike 7, it had a happy ending, and the CGI characters were amazing. I haven't played FF10 because as of yet I do not own a PS2. I'm working on it though, and that will be the first game I buy.  
  
Anyhow, as I said, FF8 is my favorite out of the games so far. However, this is not a FF8 fanfic. Instead it is based on the movie that was created, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.  
  
I loved the story, the characters, and yes, evil the villain. But I hated the ending. It was so unfair. And although I have a strict policy when I write not to change a story, it took everything I had not to do so in this story. I like to add on to what happens, even if I have to go off on what I like to call, the what-if tangent.  
  
An example being the DBZ fics in which I keep the same story line in some cases, but just add on to the story. For example, The Return of Mirai Trunks. In the final saga, "Back To the Future" everyone in Mirai's time has been restored to life thanks to the Blackstar dragonballs. And in it, I have Gohan return to learn that he had a daughter he had never known about because he had died the day after he and Videl had slept together right before his battle with the Andriods. Who's to say he didn't have a girlfriend? If could have happened.  
  
But this is not about DBZ, it's about Final Fantasy. The story takes place right after the battle with the Phantoms in the crater. The Gaia has been saved, but Dr. Sid and Aki are the only ones still alive. But all that's about to change when Gaia returns those that shouldn't have been taken so early, including Gray and the other Deep Eyes members.  
  
I sincerely hope you enjoy it and as of yet I can't be sure if it will be a one-parter or multichapter story. Only time will tell. And one last thing, I do not own the characters of Final Fantasy, none what-so-ever from ANY of the games or the movie. I am thinking of cloning Neil and Gray though. Moving on..enjoy the story.  
  
And one last thing, is it just me, or does Gray look like a CGI Ben Affleck?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Final Fantasy: A New Beginning The Eighth Spirit and the Reunion of Deep Eyes  
  
"Dr. Sid. How is it possible? We saw them die." Aki said as Dr. Sid set the coordinates for New York.  
  
"I haven't the faintest idea, Aki. But I assure you, we will find out somehow. Hmm..but I wonder.." Dr. Sid said, looking towards the cockpit door.  
  
"What? What is it?" Aki asked.  
  
"Gray's body. We have it with us." Dr. Sid began as Aki nodded.  
  
"Yes I know. I brought it with me because I want him to have a hero's burial. It's the least he deserves." Aki said.  
  
"True, if he's dead." Dr. Sid said as Aki stared at him confused.  
  
"Why would he be..Dr. Sid.you don't think..?" Aki began, daring not to hope.  
  
"Why not? The rest of Deep Eyes are, aren't they?" Dr. Sid said as he and Aki stared at the door to the cockpit in shock. Suddenly Aki floated up to the door and opened it. There, further down the hallway, just coming out of the medial room doorway, was Gray, alive and well.  
  
"Gray!" Aki cried as she raced down the hallway and tackled Gray, causing them both to fall to the ground.  
  
"Easy Aki. I'm here." Gray said with a smile as he held Aki close to him. She smiled through her tears as she buried her head in his chest.  
  
"Oh Gray! You're alive! You're really alive! Promise me you'll never leave me again. Promise me." Aki cried looking into his eyes. Gray smiled as he nodded.  
  
"I promise Aki." Gray said as he lightly brushed her lips.  
  
"I'm, ah.sorry to interrupt..but..we've got to get going." Dr. Sid said.  
  
"Yes. They're alive Gray. Neil, Ryan, Jane. They've contacted us." Aki said as Gray stared at her in shock.  
  
"They're alive? But how? How am I alive? I saw it Aki. I saw Gaia. It was so beautiful. Everything was so beautiful. How is it that we're back?" Gray asked as Aki shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"Does it matter? The important thing is you're here.now.with me." Aki said as she hugged him again.  
  
"Aki, there's something I never got a chance to ask you. About the eighth spirit. How did you find it?" Gray asked as he helped Aki to her feet.  
  
"Like I told you before, it found me. I had it inside me all along." Aki began as Dr. Sid smiled from behind the two.  
  
"Inside you? But I thought you said the membrane that Dr. Sid created to hold the phantom inside you was the first spirit. How could it be that there would be two spirits inside you?" Gray asked as Aki shook her head.  
  
"I wasn't born *with* the eighth spirit inside me Gray, it was created." Aki explained as Gray stared at her in confusion.  
  
"Aki what are you-" Gray began as Aki smiled at him.  
  
"The eighth spirit.I'm carrying it. I'm pregnant." Aki said as Gray stared at her in shock.  
  
"You mean..I'm..?" Gray began unable to speak. Aki nodded.  
  
"Yes. You are." Aki said.  
  
"Aki..I..I..." Gray said as he struggled to speak. Dr. Sid smiled from behind the two.  
  
"Apparently he's speechless." Dr. Sid with a warm smile. Aki smiled at Dr. Sid, and then turned to look at Gray.  
  
"Wow." Gray finally managed to say.  
  
"And he speaks." Aki said with a smile.  
  
"Hey, I just returned from the dead to learn that I'm gonna be a father, Aki. Give me a break." Gray said with a smile.  
  
"Come on. Your crew is waiting Captain." Aki said, turning to head back to the cockpit. Gray grabbed her arm gently and pulled her towards him.  
  
"Aki..I love you." Gray said as Aki smiled at him.  
  
"I know. I love you too." Aki said.  
  
"Marry me." Gray said as Aki stared at him in shock.  
  
"Wha-what?" Aki asked as Gray nodded.  
  
"You heard me Aki. I want you to marry me." Gray said.  
  
"Gray." Aki began as Gray frowned at her.  
  
"Don't tell me you don't want to Aki, because I know you do. You love me, I love you. Just tell me you don't want to." Gray said.  
  
"I do, Gray. Yes, of course, of course I'll marry you." Aki cried. With a laugh Gray lifted Aki into the air and spun her around once before setting her down.  
  
"Tomorrow." Gray said as Aki stared at him in disbelief.  
  
"What? Tomorrow? Isn't that a little sudden?" Aki asked.  
  
"Why not? We should live each day like it's our last. You should know that by now." Gray said.  
  
"But the Phantoms are gone." Aki said as Gray nodded his head.  
  
"Yes, but you know what I mean. You never know when you're time will come...again." Gray said with a chuckle.  
  
"Alright. Tomorrow then." Aki said. Gray took her hand in his and the two headed towards the cockpit.  
  
  
  
"It's about time." Neil said as Dr. Sid, Aki and Gray walked out of the Black Boa. Gray smiled at his crew infront of them.  
  
"Man, you made it out alive Captain? Way to go." Neil said as soon as his eyes landed on Gray.  
  
"Actually, I didn't Corporal." Gray said.  
  
"Right. Same as us then?" Jane asked as Gray nodded.  
  
"Where's Ryan?" Aki asked.  
  
"In the same place he was before. In the same position to." Neil said as he and Jane led the way to the car and to Ryan.  
  
"Hey buddy, how are you holding up?" Gray asked as Ryan frowned at him.  
  
"I died once already Captain. I have no plans to make it twice in one day." Ryan said.  
  
"Relax, we'll get you out. We brought the equipment with us." Aki said as she and Dr. Sid started to work to free Ryan from the car piece piercing his stomach.  
  
Finally, twenty minutes later, Ryan was finally free.  
  
"Come on, we've got to get him to the med lab to stop the bleeding, or he really *won't* make it." Aki said as Gray and Neil helped Ryan into the Black Boa.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	3. A New Horizon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
This is my very first Final Fantasy Fanfiction! I've always enjoyed playing the games, my favorite being FF8, only because unlike 7, it had a happy ending, and the CGI characters were amazing. I haven't played FF10 because as of yet I do not own a PS2. I'm working on it though, and that will be the first game I buy.  
  
Anyhow, as I said, FF8 is my favorite out of the games so far. However, this is not a FF8 fanfic. Instead it is based on the movie that was created, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.  
  
I loved the story, the characters, and yes, evil the villain. But I hated the ending. It was so unfair. And although I have a strict policy when I write not to change a story, it took everything I had not to do so in this story. I like to add on to what happens, even if I have to go off on what I like to call, the what-if tangent.  
  
An example being the DBZ fics in which I keep the same story line in some cases, but just add on to the story. For example, The Return of Mirai Trunks. In the final saga, "Back To the Future" everyone in Mirai's time has been restored to life thanks to the Blackstar dragonballs. And in it, I have Gohan return to learn that he had a daughter he had never known about because he had died the day after he and Videl had slept together right before his battle with the Andriods. Who's to say he didn't have a girlfriend? If could have happened.  
  
But this is not about DBZ, it's about Final Fantasy. The story takes place right after the battle with the Phantoms in the crater. The Gaia has been saved, but Dr. Sid and Aki are the only ones still alive. But all that's about to change when Gaia returns those that shouldn't have been taken so early, including Gray and the other Deep Eyes members.  
  
I sincerely hope you enjoy it and as of yet I can't be sure if it will be a one-parter or multichapter story. Only time will tell. And one last thing, I do not own the characters of Final Fantasy, none what-so-ever from ANY of the games or the movie. I am thinking of cloning Neil and Gray though. Moving on..enjoy the story.  
  
And one last thing, is it just me, or does Gray look like a CGI Ben Affleck?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Final Fantasy: A New Beginning A New Horizon  
  
"All of New York?" Jane asked in shock as Gray nodded.  
  
"Apparently. We saw it as we were flying in. Thousands of them. But it doesn't make any sense." Gray said.  
  
"Hey, no complaints here Captain. I don't know about you." Neil said.  
  
"Neil-" Jane warned, but Gray cut them off.  
  
"Jane." Gray began as he raised an eyebrow at her. After all, he had witnessed her death. He knew first hand how she felt about Neil, why she had given up when he had been killed.  
  
"Captain.I.." Jane began as Neil looked from Jane to Gray, back to Jane then to Gray again.  
  
"Captain? What the hell are you two babbling about?" Neil asked.  
  
"Neil, ask Jane how she died. I'm going to check on Ryan." Gray said, leaving the room. Jane glared after her Captain as Neil looked at her in confusion.  
  
"Ok cupcake, what was that all about?" Neil asked as Jane sighed.  
  
"He's talking about how I let the Phantoms kill me." Jane said, turning her back on him.  
  
"Let them? *Let them?!* Jane, what the hell were you thinking giving up like that? You've never given up on anything! Why the hell would you give up on something so important?!" Neil asked in disbelief as Jane turned to frown at him.  
  
"Damn it Neil, I did it because the Phantoms killed you!" Jane cried as Neil stared at her in shock.  
  
"You did that..for me? Awww, come here sweetheart." Neil said, taking a step towards her with a smirk on his face and his arms open.  
  
"Touch me and die." Jane said with a smirk.  
  
Neil put his arms down as he smirked at her. Then he sighed as he chuckled.  
  
"Wouldn't be the first time." Neil said.  
  
  
  
"Aki? How is he?" Gray asked as he walked into the medical room. Aki smiled at him as she looked up at her fiancée.  
  
"He's lost a lot of blood. But he'll make it." Aki said. Gray smiled as he nodded at her.  
  
"Captain? Tell me again why I let you get me into these messes." Ryan said as he opened his eyes and turned his head to look at Gray.  
  
"You never learn my friend, that's why." Gray said.  
  
"I'll leave you two alone. I want you to get plenty of rest Sergeant. You need it." Aki said as Ryan nodded.  
  
"Sure thing Doc." Ryan said as he smiled at her. She smiled before leaving the room.  
  
"So.she did it..how did she do it Captain?" Ryan asked.  
  
"The eighth spirit found her. Her wave theory worked." Gray said.  
  
"It found her?" Ryan asked. Gray paused before nodding.  
  
"Yes.she's, ah..carrying it." Gray said.  
  
"Carrying it.you mean like..oh." Ryan said. He smiled at Gray.  
  
"Congrats man. Looks like you saved the Earth in more ways than one." Ryan teased.  
  
"Funny. Just for that I'm thinking about asking Neil to be my best man instead of you." Gray teased.  
  
"Neil.ah man Captain, Neil of all people?...wait a minute..you mean you..and Aki..you're settling down? Man I never thought I'd see the day." Ryan said as Gray smiled at him.  
  
"And I could think of no one else better suited to be my best man than my best friend. Unless of course..you want Neil to be my best man instead.?" Gray teased.  
  
"You're lucky I can't get off this bed Captain." Ryan threatened with a laugh.  
  
"You tell the others yet? About your kid? About your fiancée?" Ryan asked as Gray shook his head.  
  
"Not yet. It didn't seem like the right time. I thought Jane and Neil had something of their own to work out first before I told them." Gray said.  
  
"Jane and Neil? You're kidding right?" Ryan asked a Gray shook his head.  
  
"Not at all. Jane was killed by the Phantoms immediately after Neil was. She saw him die, and she let herself be killed too." Gray said as Ryan stared at him in shock.  
  
"You're kidding..right?" Ryan asked as Gray shook his head.  
  
"Not at all man. Get some sleep. We'll talk more later." Gray said. He smiled at his friend, then silently left the room and headed down the hallway.  
  
  
  
Aki smiled as she saw Neil and Jane walk into the room.  
  
"Ah come on, Jane. Please?" Neil begged as he followed Jane across the other side of the room. She took a seat, and then looked up at him with a frown on her face.  
  
"I said no Neil. Get over it." Jane said. Neil bent down next to her and gave her the saddest puppy dog look he could muster.  
  
"Pwease? Pwetty pwease? With sugar and a cheery on top?" Neil begged as Gray walked into the room. He raised an eyebrow at he looked at Jane and Neil.  
  
"Neil?...On second thought I don't wanna know." Gray said, walking over next to Aki.  
  
"Come on Janie? Please?" Neil begged again.  
  
"I said no Neil." Jane said calmly.  
  
"Come on, just one." Neil said.  
  
"How many times do I have to tell you, Neil? Leave me the hell alone!" Jane cried, the slightest twinkle in her eyes. Neil pushed the puppy dog look into overdrive, adding his ever popular puppy dog pout.  
  
"Come on Janie. Just one, itty, bitty, teeny little kiss." Neil begged.  
  
"No. And call me Janie one more time and I'll rip your intestines out and feed them to my dog." Jane said. Neil looked at her confused for a moment, before a smirk graced his lips again.  
  
"You don't have a dog." Neil said as Jane smirked at him.  
  
"Not yet." Jane said. Neil blinked at her.  
  
"You'd buy a dog..just to rip out my intestines. to feed them to him?" Neil asked.  
  
"If it came to that." Jane teased.  
  
"That's my kind of girl!" Neil cried as he plopped down next to Jane and draped and arm over her shoulder. She looked at his arm on her shoulder, then up at Neil, then back to the arm.  
  
"You have two choices Neil, either remove the arm, or I'll remove it for you, permanently." Jane said.  
  
"Touché today, aren't we? But don't worry sweetheart. I still love ya." Neil teased as Jane rolled her eyes, flicked his arm off her shoulder and left the room.  
  
"Charming Neil, real charming." Gray said.  
  
"Hey, I'm still working on it Cap. Give it time. She'll be falling into my arms by the end of the week." Neil said.  
  
"Right.." Gray said. Neil shrugged his shoulders at Gray's remark and left to go find Jane.  
  
"Cute, aren't they?" Aki asked as Gray nodded.  
  
"Adorable.in a weird, twisted kind of way." Gray said.  
  
"What do you mean?" Aki asked.  
  
"Three weeks ago, Jane would have already broken every bone in Neil's body for pulling a move like that on her. She's toying with him now." Gray said as Aki smiled at him.  
  
"No, she's flirting." Aki said as Gray stared at her in shock.  
  
"I didn't think Jane knew *how* to flirt." Gray said as Aki laughed at him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	4. A New Evil

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
This is my very first Final Fantasy Fanfiction! I've always enjoyed playing the games, my favorite being FF8, only because unlike 7, it had a happy ending, and the CGI characters were amazing. I haven't played FF10 because as of yet I do not own a PS2. I'm working on it though, and that will be the first game I buy.  
  
Anyhow, as I said, FF8 is my favorite out of the games so far. However, this is not a FF8 fanfic. Instead it is based on the movie that was created, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.  
  
I loved the story, the characters, and yes, evil the villain. But I hated the ending. It was so unfair. And although I have a strict policy when I write not to change a story, it took everything I had not to do so in this story. I like to add on to what happens, even if I have to go off on what I like to call, the what-if tangent.  
  
An example being the DBZ fics in which I keep the same story line in some cases, but just add on to the story. For example, The Return of Mirai Trunks. In the final saga, "Back To the Future" everyone in Mirai's time has been restored to life thanks to the Blackstar dragonballs. And in it, I have Gohan return to learn that he had a daughter he had never known about because he had died the day after he and Videl had slept together right before his battle with the Andriods. Who's to say he didn't have a girlfriend? If could have happened.  
  
But this is not about DBZ, it's about Final Fantasy. The story takes place right after the battle with the Phantoms in the crater. The Gaia has been saved, but Dr. Sid and Aki are the only ones still alive. But all that's about to change when Gaia returns those that shouldn't have been taken so early, including Gray and the other Deep Eyes members.  
  
I sincerely hope you enjoy it and as of yet I can't be sure if it will be a one-parter or multichapter story. Only time will tell. And one last thing, I do not own the characters of Final Fantasy, none what-so-ever from ANY of the games or the movie. I am thinking of cloning Neil and Gray though. Moving on..enjoy the story.  
  
And one last thing, is it just me, or does Gray look like a CGI Ben Affleck?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Final Fantasy: A New Beginning A New Evil  
  
"How are you feeling today, Ryan? Any better than yesterday?" Aki asked as she walked into the room. Ryan smiled weekly at her as he nodded.  
  
"Don't worry about me, Doc. I'm a survivor." Ryan said with a smile. Aki nodded at him, before heading to the side of the room to open the window to let the cool air inside.  
  
"It sure feels weird being back on Earth, doesn't it?" Ryan asked as Aki nodded.  
  
"Yeah. With the Phantoms everywhere, the only truly safe place was Outer Space, safely aboard the 'Black Boa'. But with them gone, the Earth can be lived upon safely once again. It never ceases to amaze me. The Earth is just so beautiful. You miss it from space." Aki said.  
  
"Lots of work to do though, if the population is to survive." Ryan began. Aki nodded.  
  
"True. By my estimate last month, there were fewer than 61, 000 people still alive, that I knew of. I just hope it'll be enough to keep the population growing." Aki said as Ryan smirked at her.  
  
"Seems like you and Gray are doing just fine with that." Ryan remarked as Aki whirled around in surprise.  
  
"What? He.he told you?" Aki asked, a blush across her cheeks. Ryan smiled as he nodded.  
  
"You could say that. In his defense though, I was the one who asked. I was curious as to how you found the eighth spirit." Ryan said as Aki slowly nodded.  
  
"Yes. Well, as I told Gray, it found me." Aki said with a smile as she tenderly placed a hand over her stomach.  
  
"Dr. Ross, I want you to know as the Captain's best friend you can rely on me for anything, ok? I never had any kids of my own what with the Phantoms and all, but I love the little tykes." Ryan said as Aki smiled.  
  
"We'll keep that in mind when we need a sitter, Uncle Ryan." Aki teased as Ryan smiled at her.  
  
"Uncle Ryan..I like the sound of that. I can't for the little rugrat to be born. When he gets older I'll teach him how to fish, and how to hunt, and how to fire a machine gun." Ryan began.  
  
"My child is doomed." Gray muttered with a smile as he walked into the room. Aki leaned in towards him to whisper in his ear softly.  
  
"We're not really gonna let him teach the baby how to use a gun are we? I don't want my child to learn that until he's at least eighteen. Then again, if it's a girl, not at all. I mean it Gray." Aki said as she looked into Gray's eyes.  
  
"Alright, alright. I won't let Ryan teach our kid how to fire a gun." Gray promised as he kissed Aki's forehead. Ryan frowned playfully from his bed as he watched the two. Gray smirked as he looked first from his best friend, then back down at her.  
  
"I'll do it." Gray added.  
  
"Gray! That's not funny!" Aki cried as Gray and Ryan chuckled.  
  
"Relax Aki, sweetheart. I was only kidding." Gray said with a warm smile. Slowly the frown disappeared from Aki's face. She sighed as she turned back around and looked out the window.  
  
"Where do you think we'll raise him..or her?" Aki asked.  
  
"You mean like what city we'll live in? Hard to say, Aki. The future has yet to be written." Gray said.  
  
"True. At least no matter where we'll live, our child will be safe..and happy." Aki said with a smile as Gray walked up behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her infront of him as the two watched the world outside.  
  
  
  
"Hmm. So that's the full report, is it then? Seems was have a lot of work before us. Hein was a fool. We'll finish in what he failed in." A tall man said as he stood in the shadows of the corner office, looking at the major in front of him.  
  
"That will be all, Major Keilse. You may leave now." The man said, turning his back on the major. With a final nod at his superior officer, a bow and a salute, the major departed.  
  
The man stepped away from the corner, and made his way over to the leather chair behind the desk next to him. He sat down, his identity still hidden by the darkness of the room. He turned the seat around until he was facing the window.  
  
General Nirak was a cold hearted man, more so that even the late General Hein. He might have even been considered a handsome man had it he not been so cruel. He had piercing blue eyes and blonde hair that he kept in the military crew cut. He wore a dark green leather jacket with his collection of metals and awards neatly sown into the right lapel.  
  
Where Hein held a strong sense of shoot first, ask questions later, Nirak didn't bother wasting time with questions. And with the destruction of the Zeus Cannon, it seemed that Hein had perished in space, and if that were true, it would be up to Nirak to finish the work his comrade once started.  
  
"That woman.Dr. Ross.Hein believed she was a traitor, and wanted her kept in custody. Perhaps that wasn't the best course of action. If she is a traitor, she needs to be eliminated.permanently." General Nirak said to himself as his looked out his window.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	5. The Council

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
This is my very first Final Fantasy Fanfiction! I've always enjoyed playing the games, my favorite being FF8, only because unlike 7, it had a happy ending, and the CGI characters were amazing. I haven't played FF10 because as of yet I do not own a PS2. I'm working on it though, and that will be the first game I buy.  
  
Anyhow, as I said, FF8 is my favorite out of the games so far. However, this is not a FF8 fanfic. Instead it is based on the movie that was created, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.  
  
I loved the story, the characters, and yes, evil the villain. But I hated the ending. It was so unfair. And although I have a strict policy when I write not to change a story, it took everything I had not to do so in this story. I like to add on to what happens, even if I have to go off on what I like to call, the what-if tangent.  
  
An example being the DBZ fics in which I keep the same story line in some cases, but just add on to the story. For example, The Return of Mirai Trunks. In the final saga, "Back To the Future" everyone in Mirai's time has been restored to life thanks to the Blackstar dragonballs. And in it, I have Gohan return to learn that he had a daughter he had never known about because he had died the day after he and Videl had slept together right before his battle with the Andriods. Who's to say he didn't have a girlfriend? If could have happened.  
  
But this is not about DBZ, it's about Final Fantasy. The story takes place right after the battle with the Phantoms in the crater. The Gaia has been saved, but Dr. Sid and Aki are the only ones still alive. But all that's about to change when Gaia returns those that shouldn't have been taken so early, including Gray and the other Deep Eyes members.  
  
I sincerely hope you enjoy it and as of yet I can't be sure if it will be a one-parter or multichapter story. Only time will tell. And one last thing, I do not own the characters of Final Fantasy, none what-so-ever from ANY of the games or the movie. I am thinking of cloning Neil and Gray though. Moving on..enjoy the story.  
  
And one last thing, is it just me, or does Gray look like a CGI Ben Affleck?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Final Fantasy: A New Beginning The Council  
  
"Aki, good I was just looking for you. It's time we contacted the Council and informed them about what's happened thus far." Dr. Sid said as he walked into the room.  
  
"Sergeant Wittaker, how are you feeling?" Dr. Sid asked, turning his attention to the man. Ryan managed a smile as he nodded at the doctor.  
  
"As I told her, I'll live doc. Thanks to you two anyway." Ryan said. Dr. Sid nodded as he started to check Ryan over to see how much longer he'd be staying in the med room.  
  
"Hmm. It would appear that your internal bleeding has stopped. If you'd like, I can bandage the rest of your injuries and we can have you up on your feet within the next twenty minutes. Unless of course, you're not feeling up to it." Dr. Sid began in concern as Ryan shook his head.  
  
"Not a chance doc. If I'm good to go, I wanna go. Appreciate all you've done for me already, but you know us military types." Ryan said as Dr. Sid nodded.  
  
"Sometimes all to well. Very well then. I'll get started on that right away. Aki, would you mind sending a message to the Council for me? We'll be landing in Pennsylvania in the next hour. We'll want to give them the full heads up." Dr. Sid said as Aki nodded before heading out of the room.  
  
"Now, for you my friend." Dr. Sid said as he walked around the room gathering the bandages and the rest of the supplies he would need to securely wrap Ryan's injuries.  
  
  
  
"An hour huh? Not a whole lot of time." Gray said as he looked out the window. Aki looked at him confused.  
  
"Not a whole lot of time for what, Gray?" Aki asked. Gray turned back around to look at her and smiled.  
  
"It's nothing, Aki, love. I just meant we're gonna have to explain to the Council what happened in the Phantom crater, then explain why all of New York as well as the Deep Eyes crew are alive and kicking again. I'm not complaining of course, but it's a lot to explain." Gray said as Aki nodded.  
  
"Yes, I know. But it seems like explaining our situation to the Council is something I've been doing a lot of lately, ever since I was first infected by the Phantom. I still can hardly believe that it's finally over, you know? That I'm finally cured. And that I have you to thank for that too, Gray." Aki said with a smile in her eye as she looked at Gray. He smiled back at her.  
  
"I just can't believe in less than eleven hours we'll be married." Gray said.  
  
"Unless you want to wait a little while?" Aki asked as Gray smiled at her and shook his head.  
  
"Not a chance, Aki." Gray said as Aki smiled lovingly at him.  
  
"Well, what do you think we'll call her?" Aki asked as she placed a hand over her abdomen. Gray playfully frowned at her.  
  
"You mean him." Gray teased as Aki shook her head at him.  
  
"What am I going to do with you?" Aki asked.  
  
"Well, you can't kill me, I keep coming back." Gray teased and Aki couldn't help but laugh.  
  
"I don't think I've ever heard you laugh. I like it. It's really pretty." Gray said as Aki blushed.  
  
"So..Dr. Sid knows and Ryan knows.when are we going to tell Neil and Jane?" Aki asked.  
  
"Tell us what?" Neil asked as he walked into the room.  
  
  
  
"Tell us what?" Neil asked again as Aki and Gray looked at each other for a moment then looked back at their friends.  
  
"Well, there's no point in beating around the bush, so I'll just come out and say it-" Aki began.  
  
"Aki's pregnant." Gray finished with a smile as Aki turned to look at him.  
  
"Or Gray will come out and say it for me." Aki said with a smile. Jane and Neil stared at Gray in shock, before turning to look at Aki, who nodded to confirm it.  
  
"No kidding? Captain, you lucky dog, you!" Neil said. Jane rolled her eyes, as Aki blushed and Gray glared at the Corporal. Neil coughed nervously.  
  
"What I meant was..congratulations Captain, Dr. Ross..I'm, ah, happy for you both." Neil said. Jane smirked at Neil's uneasiness before looking at Aki, and nodding her head once as she smiled.  
  
"You know, Janie, I was thinking." Neil began.  
  
"Alert the presses." Jane teased as Neil frowned.  
  
"No, I'm serious. I was just wondering how many you wanted. Two, three, four maybe?" Neil asked with a smirk. Jane frowned in confusion as she looked at Neil.  
  
"Neil.what the hell are you talking about?" Jane asked.  
  
"Kids. How many do you want to have?" Neil asked.  
  
Jane stared at Neil, unable to blink as Gray and Aki burst out into laughter. Jane turned to glare at Aki and Gray respectively, before turning to look back at Neil.  
  
"Not even in your dreams, Fleming." Jane said.  
  
"Ah come on. Why must you put up this charade, Janie? Just tell me when you want to change your name to Fleming, cupcake." Neil teased.  
  
Jane was speechless as she stared at Neil, her mouth agape. Gray smiled down at Aki, as he took her hand.  
  
"We'll leave you two alone for a while." Gray said as he headed out of the room.  
  
"Captain, you're leaving me alone..with him?!" Jane asked as Neil pretended to look hurt.  
  
"Not even married yet and you want some time away from me. That hurts, Janie. At least promise me we'll still be there for the kids." Neil teased.  
  
"Fleming!" Jane cried in frustration, but Aki and Gray caught the humor behind the tone in her voice. Gray nodded at Neil and after saluting their superior officer, Gray left the room, and he and Aki headed down the corridor to contact the Council.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	6. The Meeting

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
This is my very first Final Fantasy Fanfiction! I've always enjoyed playing the games, my favorite being FF8, only because unlike 7, it had a happy ending, and the CGI characters were amazing. I haven't played FF10 because as of yet I do not own a PS2. I'm working on it though, and that will be the first game I buy.  
  
Anyhow, as I said, FF8 is my favorite out of the games so far. However, this is not a FF8 fanfic. Instead it is based on the movie that was created, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.  
  
I loved the story, the characters, and yes, evil the villain. But I hated the ending. It was so unfair. And although I have a strict policy when I write not to change a story, it took everything I had not to do so in this story. I like to add on to what happens, even if I have to go off on what I like to call, the what-if tangent.  
  
An example being the DBZ fics in which I keep the same story line in some cases, but just add on to the story. For example, The Return of Mirai Trunks. In the final saga, "Back To the Future" everyone in Mirai's time has been restored to life thanks to the Blackstar dragonballs. And in it, I have Gohan return to learn that he had a daughter he had never known about because he had died the day after he and Videl had slept together right before his battle with the Andriods. Who's to say he didn't have a girlfriend? If could have happened.  
  
But this is not about DBZ, it's about Final Fantasy. The story takes place right after the battle with the Phantoms in the crater. The Gaia has been saved, but Dr. Sid and Aki are the only ones still alive. But all that's about to change when Gaia returns those that shouldn't have been taken so early, including Gray and the other Deep Eyes members.  
  
I sincerely hope you enjoy it and as of yet I can't be sure if it will be a one-parter or multichapter story. Only time will tell. And one last thing, I do not own the characters of Final Fantasy, none what-so-ever from ANY of the games or the movie. I am thinking of cloning Neil and Gray though. Moving on..enjoy the story.  
  
And one last thing, is it just me, or does Gray look like a CGI Ben Affleck?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Final Fantasy: A New Beginning The Meeting  
  
"You see the look on Jane's face? It was priceless." Gray said with a chuckle as he and Aki walked into the cockpit. Aki smiled at him before making her way over to the control panel. After pushing a few different buttons, a TV-like screen appeared infront of her. Five seconds later, the face of an elegantly looking older woman appeared on the screen.  
  
"Dr. Ross? Why have you requested this meeting with the Council?" The woman asked.  
  
"Ma'am, Dr. Sid and the rest of Deep Eyes and I will be landing in Pennsylvania within half an hour. We wish an audience with the Council." Aki began.  
  
"Whatever for, Doctor?" The woman asked.  
  
"Ma'am, Captain Edwards of the Deep Eyes. May I have permission to speak?" Gray said. The woman nodded and Gray continued.  
  
"Thank you. As I'm sure you're aware, the Phantoms have been eliminated. But what we have to inform you of, is what's been happening in New York since that time." Gray said as the woman looked at him confused.  
  
"Captain, please explain your meaning." The woman said as Gray nodded.  
  
"Dr. Sid and Dr. Ross completed the wave that eliminated the Phantoms, ma'am. Even as General Hein was firing at us from the Zeus Cannon." Gray began.  
  
"General Hein? But Captain, the Council had received word that General Hein had landed on the Zeus station and was indeed firing the Zeus Cannon. We personally gave him the permission to do so. Are you saying that the Cannon's attempt failed?" The woman asked as Gray frowned.  
  
"I mean you no disrespect, ma'am, but had it not been for Dr. Ross, I have no doubt that the entire planet would have been destroyed by General Hein's actions. It is in fact, his fault that we were forced to use another method to cure the Alien Gaia once General Hein's blast had destroyed the Quatro that we first used to emit the wave pattern, ma'am." Gray said.  
  
"Another method?" The woman asked as Aki nodded.  
  
"Yes. It was Captain Edwards, ma'am, who deserves complete credit for the success of this mission. He sacrificed himself and brought the completed wave with him into the Alien Gaia." Aki said as the woman turned her head slightly to look at Aki.  
  
"Sacrificed? How can that be so when the Captain stands before me this very moment?" The woman asked.  
  
"That is the other reason for our meeting with the Council. As of yet, we are not sure how, but it would appear that all of New York has been restored to life. In fact, the entire Deep Eyes crew had been lost when the Black Boa left the city." Aki said.  
  
"It is true, ma'am. I stand before you as proof." Gray said as the woman nodded.  
  
"I see. Then by all means, please make sure you all make your way here to speak more of what happened once you land. And Dr. Ross? Could you please do me a favor? Dr. Sid.could you tell him the Council is deeply sorry for our doubts in him? We should have known better than to doubt the very man who created the barriers, the scanners, and the ova-packs. We apologize, and we are in your debt." The woman said with a smile as Aki nodded.  
  
"Very good then. We will see you when you land. Have a safe landing. Good day." The woman said before the screen vanished.  
  
"Wow. I never thought I'd see the day when the Council would be apologizing to anyone." Gray said as Aki smiled at him.  
  
"Come on, we'd better go tell Dr. Sid the good news." Aki said as she and Gray headed back down the corridor to the med room.  
  
  
  
"Major Keilse, get in here this second!" General Nirak cried. Hastily the major did as he was told, and closed the door behind him.  
  
"I've just received word from the Council that Dr. Ross and the rest of her companions, will be arriving in Pennsylvania with thirty minutes. I want you to meet them there." General Nirak said as the major looked at his superior officer confused.  
  
"If.if I may sir, why send me there? I thought your goal was to eliminate the doctor." The major said.  
  
"Yes, Major, it was, and still is. But we need to feign the mask of hospitality. We can't have the good doctor suspicious of our intent, can we? Besides, I want tabs on her at all times, which is why *you* are going. I trust Major, that you'll get any and all information about the good doctor that will further our plans. Now go! You leave at once. A military transport is waiting for you outside sector twenty seven." Nirak said.  
  
"A military escort, sir?" Major Keilse asked as the general nodded.  
  
"Yes, Major. The Council wishes to congratulate the doctors and the Deep Eyes crew for their 'victory' over the Phantoms. So make sure you hurry over there!" The General said impatiently. With a nod and a bow at the General, the Major took his leave.  
  
"Hmm. We'll see what else you may be hiding from us, Dr. Ross. For your sake, it's nothing the Council will frown upon." Nirak said with a smirk.  
  
  
  
"Whoa! What's going on here? Are you seeing what I'm seeing Captain?" Neil asked as he looked out the window of the Black Boa. Gray walked over to Neil, and looked out the window for a moment, before turning back to the Corporal.  
  
"I had a feeling the Council might do something of this sort." Dr. Sid interrupted as he walked into the room.  
  
"Dr. Sid? What do you mean? You knew about this?" Aki asked as Dr. Sid shook his head.  
  
"Gracious no, child, I only meant that after all you've done, I suspected the Council would want to show their gratitude in some form or another." Dr. Sid said.  
  
"What ever happened to heaping piles of cash?" Neil asked with a grin as Jane punched him in the shoulder.  
  
"Neil, do us all a favor, and shut up." Jane ordered as Neil playfully frowned at her.  
  
"When will the abuse end, Janie? A man can only take so much tough love.and man, is it ever *tough*" Neil said as he rubbed his shoulder. Jane chuckled in spite of herself.  
  
"Alright, you two save it for after we land. We've got an audience to deal with. You know the drill people!" Gray said, slipping into 'Captain' mode.  
  
"Ah, lighten up Edwards." Ryan said as he cautiously walked into the room. Gray, Neil, and Jane made a move to help him, when Ryan held up his hand and shook his head sternly.  
  
"I'm no invalid, I expect not to be treated like one. Injury or not, I'm second in command and Sergeant of this Crew, and I plan to keep it that way." Ryan said as Gray chuckled at his friend.  
  
"Same old Wittaker. Come on, we're getting ready to meet the masses. You up to it?" Gray asked as Ryan raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
"I've gone up against more than my fair share of Phantoms in the past several years, Captain. I think I can handle something like this." Ryan said playfully.  
  
"Ok then, let's move it out Deep Eyes. And just this once, let's do it the Sergeant's way. Let's just relax and have fun." Gray said with a smile.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	7. Rewards and Proceedures

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
This is my very first Final Fantasy Fanfiction! I've always enjoyed playing the games, my favorite being FF8, only because unlike 7, it had a happy ending, and the CGI characters were amazing. I haven't played FF10 because as of yet I do not own a PS2. I'm working on it though, and that will be the first game I buy.  
  
Anyhow, as I said, FF8 is my favorite out of the games so far. However, this is not a FF8 fanfic. Instead it is based on the movie that was created, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.  
  
I loved the story, the characters, and yes, evil the villain. But I hated the ending. It was so unfair. And although I have a strict policy when I write not to change a story, it took everything I had not to do so in this story. I like to add on to what happens, even if I have to go off on what I like to call, the what-if tangent.  
  
An example being the DBZ fics in which I keep the same story line in some cases, but just add on to the story. For example, The Return of Mirai Trunks. In the final saga, "Back To the Future" everyone in Mirai's time has been restored to life thanks to the Blackstar dragonballs. And in it, I have Gohan return to learn that he had a daughter he had never known about because he had died the day after he and Videl had slept together right before his battle with the Andriods. Who's to say he didn't have a girlfriend? If could have happened.  
  
But this is not about DBZ, it's about Final Fantasy. The story takes place right after the battle with the Phantoms in the crater. The Gaia has been saved, but Dr. Sid and Aki are the only ones still alive. But all that's about to change when Gaia returns those that shouldn't have been taken so early, including Gray and the other Deep Eyes members.  
  
I sincerely hope you enjoy it and as of yet I can't be sure if it will be a one-parter or multichapter story. Only time will tell. And one last thing, I do not own the characters of Final Fantasy, none what-so-ever from ANY of the games or the movie. I am thinking of cloning Neil and Gray though. Moving on..enjoy the story.  
  
And yes, by now, we've established that Gray looks like a CGI Ben Affleck. *smirks*  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Final Fantasy: A New Beginning The Discovery  
  
"Captain Edwards, my name is Major Keilse. I'm to escort you and your crew to the banquet dinner that is being held in your honor. Please, follow me." Major Keilse said. Gray and the others silently followed the Major to the Main Council Hall. Seated in the very front were the members of the Council. Gray bowed his head to the woman he'd spoken to before, before straightening up again to begin speaking.  
  
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Council. I don't know where to begin. A lot has happened in the last week and it's hard to find the exact words to share my feeling with you all seated here tonight. What I can tell you, is that the planet is finally safe. The Phantoms are gone, and we all have Dr. Aki Ross and Dr. Sid to thank for it. Their wave theory was correct, and it effectively eliminated the Phantoms as was predicted." Gray said as he looked at Aki.  
  
"Sadly, it wasn't as easy as I'm making it out to sound. The sad truth is that thousands of people were killed as a result of the Phantoms' attack on New York city when General Hein lowered the barrier." Gray said. Immediately people began speaking in hushed tones all at once.  
  
"Please, please, let me explain. General Hein was only doing what he believed was right. He only wished to acheive the same overal goal as my crew and the good docters, although using a different method." Gray explained.  
  
"As is so happens, Aki, Dr. Sid, and I were the only ones to escape the tradegy at New York. The rest of my crew was killed, and *although* it seems a little hard to believe, especially when they are standing right infront of you, it is none the less true. We landed at the Phantom Crater in the hopes of locating the eighth and final spirit. And although General Hein fired upon us from the Zeus Cannon, we were finally able to complete our mission, and we retrieved the eighth spirit." Gray said, pausing as he glanced over to smile at Aki.  
  
"However, the blast from the Zeus Cannon destroyed the Quatro, and we had no way of emitting the completed wave. Instead I allowed myself to be killed by the Alien Gaia in order to bring the completed wave with me into it, and thereby healing the Alien Gaia. With it finally being at peace, the Alien Gaia took off into space." Gray said.  
  
"As for the reason for my Crew and I standing before, we do not have the answers. Even we are unsure of what happened. What we do now, is that we weren't the only ones. All of New York was restored as well." Gray said.  
  
"My. Thank you, Captain. Words can't truelly express the depth of our gratitude. You are all truely heros." The woman said after a moment. Gray bowed his head, but didn't say anything.  
  
"Very well. The Deep Eyes Crew and Dr. Sid and Dr. Ross shall stay here in Pennsylvania as our honored guests, for however long they are here. Please, if you desire anything, let us know. Whatever we can do to make your stay here a pleasant one." The woman said.  
  
"Thank you. We appreciate it." Gray said.  
  
"And I believe the Council will speak to your Military Units, Captain. If I am not mistaken, some promotions are in order in the very least. Wouldn't you agree, General Edwards? The same could be said of your crew. The Council will see what it can do. You all are very brave souls. You have our thanks." The woman said with a smile.  
  
Gray smiled as he bowed his head, but didn't say anything more.  
  
  
  
"That's it?" Aki asked the second Gray sat down beside her at the table.  
  
"What more could we ask for, Aki? Everything went just fine. Better than fine, I think. The Council was overly pleased with our performance, and the outcome with the Alien Gaia. They even promoted my entire squadren." Gray said with a smile as the rest of Deep Eyes looked over at him with smiles on their face, Neil grinning the broadest.  
  
"This is great! This is better than great! This is the happiest day of my life! Only one thing could make this day better! Janie, sweetie? Cupcake? Pumpkin? Sug-" Neil began from the left side of the table where he was sitting next to Jane  
  
"No, Neil, I will not kiss you, date you, marry you, carry your children, or anything else of that sort." Jane said without looking up from her plate.  
  
"Spoil sport." Neil muttered with a sad sigh, before smirking and scooting his chair closer to hers as Jane looked up at Neil and raised an eyebrow at him and smiled charmingly at her.  
  
"Why must you be so hostile, my darling? Come, we shall leave this place and run off and elope!" Neil said, taking Jane's hand. She looked down at his hand, then up at Neil, before looking back down at his hand. After a moment, she called over in Gray direction without looking from Neil's hand.  
  
"Captain? You said the Council was pleased with us, right? Do you think they'd be so pleased if I happened to do the world a favor and rid it of Flemming? No one has to know, sir." Jane teased as Neil jerked his hand from Jane's and held it to his chest and looked at her with a heartbroken expression.  
  
"You're a catty one, Jane." Neil said with a chuckle after a minute as Jane smirked at him.  
  
"I bite too." Jane replied.  
  
"Dr. Ross? I'm sorry to be a bother to you, but I have something of great importance to ask of you." Keilse said, walking up to Aki and Gray.  
  
"Yes? What is it.....?" Aki asked, trailing off as the Major smiled at her.  
  
"Major Keilse, ma'am. I am going to need a small sample of you're blood, doctor. After you finish eating of course." Keilse said as Gray frowned at him.  
  
"What for?" Gray asked.  
  
"Standard proceedure, Captain-" Keilse began before Gray cut him off.  
  
"It's General now, Major." Gray said as Keilse hesitated for a moment, before nodding.  
  
"My apologies, General Edwards. But I still do need a sample of the lady's blood. We need to run a few tests to be assured that Miss Ross is, in fact, completely cured of the alien.....shall we say, infection? We're merely going to analize the current sample and compare it to a sample that was collected while she was still infected. Then we're simply going to compare her blood samples to that of a clean human one. One that was never infected. You understand of course." Keilse said.  
  
"Who asked for this?" Gray asked, frowning suspiciously at the Major.  
  
"Gray, it's ok-" Aki began.  
  
"It was General Nirak, sir. I received strict orders from him this morning." Keilse said as Gray looked at him, still frowning slightly.  
  
"Don't worry about it, Gray. I'm fine remember?" Aki asked as Gray looked at her concerned.  
  
"But what about-?" Gray began.  
  
"It's *fine* Gray." Aki said, looking meaningfully at Gray as Keilse looked on curiously but said nothing.  
  
A few minutes later, after retrieving the sample from Aki, Major Keilse excused himself from the group and left to return to report his findings to General Nirak.  
  
"There's something about him, that I don't trust." Ryan said frowning as he watched the major disappear out of the room. Gray looked to see the major leave and turned to look at his best friend and second in command.  
  
"I know. I agree. We'd better be careful around him, and General Nirak too." Gray said.  
  
"Nirak? Who's he?" Ryan asked.  
  
"I personally don't know. But I've heard that he went to the same training academy as Hein. They graduated together and we made Generals in the same week as the other. If he's anything like Hein, we'd better make sure to be careful around them both." Gray said, frowning softly as Ryan nodded.  
  
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End file.
